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Celthestan Politics (CCW)
Celtheste is a complex place with generally opinionated people, enthusiastic ideologues, and utopian projects springing up out of every crack in the ground, but there are a couple large questions here that have remained relevant through history and across all walks of life. Alternatively, you may return to the main page. Questions of Rule Should Celtheste be Unified? Celtheste was only once in its history an independent, unified nation. That was nearly a thousand years ago and plenty has changed. Do the peoples once under the banner of the First Kingdom really have that much in common anymore? Or is this perhaps an opportunity to create something in common? What does shared history mean in a world hurtling towards the future? And is collective security just a clever disguise for totalitarian dictatorship? There is a romance to the notion of a unified Celtheste, of course, and perhaps this is more powerful than any valid reason for or against it. The people certainly seem to think so. Who is Celthestan? Here’s a question that has plagued the country from the start. There are those who, citing Cana’s intentions, believe Celtheste is a nation of many peoples, and draw a wide circle. They make special efforts to include the historically marginalized Oinosi and Sayrhoul peoples in their version of Celtheste. Then there are those with extremely narrow views, including only the descendants of the earliest Midlander migrations in their definition, and notably excluding the Lottless. This is all assuming any of these people want to be Celthestan. Many Dahaenders, Celthestans by even the narrowest definitions, vehemently deny any association with the larger nation. And plenty of Sayrhoul and Oinosi identify solely with their ethnic heritages, even if they have lived on Celthestan lands for generations. Who is the Heir to Celtheste's Throne? This is the question most responsible for splitting Celtheste into the various states we recognize today—and everyone has an opinion about it, even if they are against the monarchy altogether. The original Corvael line, the bloodline of King Cerodine, died out long ago, so the succession dispute comes down to two claimant families: the Byruedons, descendants of Cerodine’s sister, who merged their line with Oinosi nobility; and the Veranches, Dory Kings who descend from Cerodine’s champion. In practice, none of the Celthestan states truly believes themselves to be the “true” Celtheste anymore, but officially, the five states still disagree on this question. Byruedon Queens rule in Caltania while Clana Veranches reigns in Wacuin & the Indrissey, both families refusing to acknowledge each other. Castra, a former Caltanian territory, is divided on the question, operating under the authority of their own Worker’s Council while the “debates” continue. Dahanaem believes royal authority died with the Corvaels and rules itself as an independent Duchy. Maslan goes an entirely different route and considers the Dalcerannean High Kings the rightful successor to the Corvaels. Or is there perhaps another claim to the throne of Celtheste? Have the Corvaels truly died out? Some think not. If Celtheste really does unite under a monarch, these questions will surely need answers. Should Celtheste Rule Itself? It is commonly believed that Dalcerannean rule sparked a period of peace and prosperity for Celtheste, keeping Celtheste from slipping into total backwoods oblivion. Celtheste was Dalceran’s jewel, and well cared for; a critical piece of one of the world’s great powers. There are many who would see those days return, especially in the upper classes. The nation, with all its petty squabbling and instability, would do best with a strong outside hand to guide it. But many others believe Celtheste would have flourished on its own if given the chance. They see the Dalcerannean period as patronizing and humiliating, a dilution and distortion of Celtheste’s true destiny. Questions of Magic Is Magecraft Legitimate? Though open war between mages and the Ingarian faiths ceased a long time ago, a cultural war between religion and magecraft persists in Celtheste. Everyone uses magecraft, of course, but many Celthestans do not follow the religion and philosophy of magecraft (Cosmaca) that most of the rest of the world does. So Ingarians have a dilemma: reconcile magecraft by altering their doctrine, or continue to disavow mages while contradictorally availing of their services. The House of Second Spring in Astor has managed a reconciliation, to the outrage of Dafinians and Andinots. The question becomes more pressing as Ingarian mages seek power or simply acceptance within the Ingarian churches. Who can Practice Magecraft? At the start, the point of magecraft was that anyone could learn it, regardless of their origin, wealth, or standing with the gods. But as it becomes an increasingly powerful and dangerous tool, many institutions have opted to restrict access to mage education and licensing. This may take many forms—some antithetical to the founding philosophies—as in Sunya where only the landed class is permitted to practice. But whereas in other nations the question is usually settled by now, Celtheste’s patchwork of religious traditions and local customs have created a legal and ethical mess. Should potential mages be tested for a certain level of intelligence or morality? Must they be members of a Cosmacan church? Are high tuition rates tantamount to class discrimination anyway? Is Sorcery Divine in Nature? Sorcery has long been the most poorly understood form of magic. It is an innate gift, unlike powers of enchantment, which is granted directly by the gods. In the mage perspective, Sorcery is a form of intuitive magecraft, able to be explained through mage paradigms. But some Dalgun faiths view sorcery as a “mark of the gods”—an enchantment that perpetuates itself. Or at the very least, they say, it is a residual power of the gods, unconsciously salvaged by humans. In any case, how this question is answered has profound consequences for how sorcerers themselves are treated and what is expected of them. In societies that view them as blessed, for instance, they often make their way to high positions rapidly, perhaps unfairly. In rare cases, sorcery might be seen as more of a curse, in which case those with sorcerous gifts are persecuted and made pariahs. In Celtheste, while sorcerers are generally treated well, and even carry some prestige, the question has not been definitively answered. Should Magic be Restricted? Sorcery and Magecraft are powerful tools, easily abused. Should the practice be limited somehow? Beyond stripping practitioners of licensing, some rather invasive devices have been invented to limit or cut-off one’s ability. Should those convicted of criminal charges be stripped of or submitted to these devices? Indefinitely? What about children born with sorcery? Should they be “tempered,” or more aggressively, “neutered” until they come of age? Or perhaps for their entire lives? Culture and Diplomacy Should Celtheste have a Common Language? This is really a question of Dory revivalism. Avonish is the most commonly spoken tongue in Celtheste with Dahaender and Onosh languages spoken in their respective localities, but Dory languages were largely lost until a revival during the Dalcerannean period. Since then, the Dory Wacunues language has spread alongside the Dory revivalist movement and in some regions is replacing Avonish entirely. A reactionary movement has formed, petitioning for the preservation of Avonish as the common Celthestan tongue and making it the official language in local and state governments. The issue has intensified as a particularly polarizing one ever since the Dory League joined with the paramilitary nationalist group, Cuzhodit. Should Celtheste have Colonies? Celtheste has played the roles of both colonized and colonizer throughout its history—Caltania and Maslan currently have colonial holdings in Rendland and Rutalia respectively. Colonies are a sign of a nation’s maturity and prestige on the international stage and they can provide resources or perform military functions. Anti-colonialists oppose these holdings on principle, but others make economic or strategic arguments against occupying foreign territories. Colonies, it seems, are becoming quite un-fashionable in the modern age. Who should Celtheste Ally with? As the world’s great powers turn their eyes towards Arcuria, Celthestans must learn to play on the world stage. The recent war with Capaliso means many Celthestans are eager to seek out her rivals: Sunya or Makala, stable empires with clear interests—or perhaps Mathsra, the ancient behemoth, poised to rise again. An unpopular but perhaps wise strategy would be to forgive and forget the recent war and ally with Capaliso instead, the clear superpower of the age, but that seems far-fetched. There’s also the smaller states to contend with—and then the Strangers. Celthestans especially have always been reticent to work with other races, but it may be a necessity for the coming age. The Fairy Kingdom of Myra has made overtures of friendship. Their ancient enemies, the elves, are seeking allies as well. And then there are the Rvorh, who Celthestans have traded with for centuries, and yet know so little about. Other Questions Many more questions must be answered before a unified Celtheste can move forward, questions pertaining to the wider world, and questions any new state must contend with: Should a monarchy even exist? Should nobility? A centralized government? Who controls Celtheste’s resources? How are they distributed? Do the historically wronged deserve special protections? Do the especially vulnerable? The list goes on and on, but these are questions you no doubt grapple with yourself, and your character must grapple with as situations arise.